Day 1: San Jose

Day 2: Osa Peninsula

Your adventure into the wilds of the Osa Peninsula begins with an airport transfer for the one hour flight to Puerto Jimenez. Climb aboard the back of a 4-wheel drive vehicle with padded bench seats for the 45 minute scenic drive past small farms and rural homes to Lapa Rios Ecolodge. Perched on a hilltop with stunning views to the sea, the Lapa Rios resort bungalows offer queen size beds, hardwood floors, private bath, and a tranquil private balcony. Enjoy fine al fresco dining by candlelight; Lapa Rios is not only an award-winning ecolodge but has gained notoriety for its creative exotic tropical cuisine. The serene swimming pool surrounded by rainforest offers soothing relaxation. Overnight at Lapa Rios Lodge.

Days 3, 4 & 5: Lapa Rios Reserve

Enjoy three days hiking and exploring among rivers, waterfalls, and natural swimming pools on miles of wilderness trails winding through the private reserve of Lapa Rios in Osa Peninsula. Hike with resident naturalist guides who describe the complex ways that animals and plants co-exist in the tropical rain forest ecosystem. Relax and bird-watch from your veranda always listening and watching for birds flitting through the forest or fruits falling from above as monkeys and parrots feed in the canopy. Enjoy the pristine beach and tide pools. Join an optional rain forest night walk. Onsite Lapa Rios Ecolodge tours of your choice are included as well as the 'twigs, pigs and garbage' sustainability tour to witness first hand commitment toward a greener way of life. Overnight at Lapa Rios Lodge.

Day 6: Monteverde

Rise and shine! After an early breakfast transfer to Puerto Jimenez for the return flight to San Jose. Our naturalist guide will meet us at the airport to begin our 3.5 hour journey into the Central Highlands to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, settled in 1951 by a group of North American Quakers. Keep your camera handy as the bumpy road winds uphill offering splendid views along the way. In the late afternoon join a guided twilight walk on the loop trails of Finca Ecologica. Flashlights are provided or bring your own headlamp in search of sloth, Capuchin monkeys, and a variety of nocturnal birds and insects. Because of its lower elevation, Finca Ecologica tends to be less cloudy and rainy than the principal reserve on the continental divide. Overnight at Monteverde Lodge, Hotel Belmar, or similar.

Day 7: Monteverde

Walk and/or fly through the cloud forest canopy on hanging brides and a cable zip-line. Hanging by a security harness, you zip-line between 14 platforms connected by stainless steel cables. The total length of the Monteverde zip line is 1.8 miles gliding at 300 feet up! Thrill seekers will want to check out the Tarzan swing! The Sky Walk is a dramatic combination of six suspension bridges over deep canyons at tree top level and easy, well maintained walking trails. In the afternoon we visit Juan de Dios’ farm where he shares daily life at the sugar mill he operates. Juan tells us about the production of sugarcane and coffee, and the traditional ways of cultivating bananas, arracache (a local legume), avocado, macadamia nuts, and other Costa Rican specialties. A traditional oxcart pulled by oxen will then take us to the sugarcane mill where we taste products made from sugar cane. Overnight at Monteverde Lodge, Hotel Belmar, or similar.

Day 8: San Jose

Grab your binoculars and water bottle as we set off with our guide in search of wildlife in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. Our guide shares his vast knowledge of the cloud forest as we hear the primal sounds of the Howler monkey and watch the leaf cutter ants busy at work. Be on the lookout for the elusive resplendent quetzal as well as the three wattled bellbird and emerald toucanet. The Monteverde Reserve extends down both slopes of the Tilaran Mountains (2,300 to 5,600 feet elevation), encompassing eight different ecological life zones and protecting over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, and 1,500 species of plants. After lunch we head back to San Jose. Overnight at Hotel Grano de Oro.